Nvidia Tegra 4: Curb Stomping Today’s Mobile

So you thought your new Nexus 10 or iPad 4 was the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world, right? That your dual core tablet or smartphone, or A6-this, Exynos-that was the end-all, be-all of hot shit? Well, Nvidia’s just dropped a brick in your lap, and it’s called the Tegra 4 mobile processor. It makes your iPad 4 look like a joke. It strangles your Nexus 7, 10 or otherwise, and it does it all with a song in its low-energy core, a swanky games console wrapped around its shoulders and a sure bet that 2013’s mobile phones and tablets are going to take a big, fiery dump on everything you just got for Christmas. Follow me past the break for specs and thoughts on Nvidia’s new groundbreaking Tegra 4 processor!

Those are the big bullet points as provided by Nvidia, though I’m sure more will be forthcoming as devices using the new CPU are announced, hopefully during CES this week. According to Nvidia, the new architecture is designed to run simple tasks like music and video playback using only the low-power core, which allows for exceptionally extended battery life (Tegra 3 also had this feature, but you know, not quite as amazing), while the higher power cores are each independently able to be turned off and on according to the needs of whatever software is running. Playing Angry birds? Eh, probably one core will do it. Maybe 2 core Space. Playing, say, the next Call of Duty might demand all four. Either way, Tegra 4 can handle the task and automatically determine the best balance of power and battery savings.

The long and short of it is just this: Nvidia’s back on top of the mobile performance game, and it looks like 2013 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for mobile indeed.

About The Author

A lifelong nerd and nearly two decade IT geek with four degrees, including one from UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Jason reads, writes, sleeps and occasionally belches technology news and reviews.
Attempts to slake his desire for all things tech include console and PC gaming, servers, PC's, Macs and countless software packages examined, used, reviewed, loved, hated and summarily ejected or celebrated.Thus far, all have failed to quench his thirst for Nerdy deliciosity.